Roland - The world’s best Digital Pianos

When considering a piano for your family, there are so many questions to ask. Not the least of which is, do we want a traditional piano or would a digital piano be a better fit for us.

One of the things that we hear here at Piano Centre, is the continued mistaken perception that an “electric piano isn’t good enough for serious piano playing and education”. This is simply no longer the case. The next generation of pianists, grew up in a world where digital EVERYTHING is the norm, and technology simply isn’t technology anymore. It’s expected.

Without muddying the waters with too much tech talk, allow us a moment to discuss a few reasons why the Roland digital piano of 2022 is light years ahead of the technology that existed even 5 short years ago in the realm of digital pianos. But even more importantly, why Roland Stands above the competition in terms of piano touch, tone, and behaviour.

A Roland piano is no longer a simple playback of a recording of a Grand Piano. This is the prevalent method for the way companies make a digital piano reproduce sound. it’s The technology itself is called “sampling” and now is an outdated means of digital sound reproduction, in the world of digital pianos. Where it falls short is on behaviour. Proper piano behaviour means that proper piano technique MUST be used when playing. Which is why Roland has opted to adopt an approach called “Modelling”

Why modelling is better than sampling

Most digital pianos use ‘sampling’ technology, which records the individual notes from an acoustic piano and combines them to deliver the final sound. This approach results in a limited range of expression, similar to when animation is composed by still images. Roland takes a different approach, producing the sound using advanced digital modelling technology that recreates the process of piano-tone-generation in real-time. It’s so accurate that your expression and touch is captured as you perform, and reflected onto the tone, resulting in a beautifully rich sound that compels you to play.

Roland uses a pair of chips to do their ultra accurate Modelling reproduction.

The Piano Action or piano keyboard is the 2nd most important aspect of the piano performance.

You’ll spend a lot of time touching the keys and pedals of your piano. And if you’re an experienced player, you should feel confident that your technique won’t be compromised. The keyboard and pedals on a Roland respond faithfully to your playing, with a level of expression limited only by your imagination. Heavy or light, fast or slow - however you play, these keyboards and pedals have the accuracy and expression to support you.

Roland has invested countless hours of R&D in designing and creating the best digital piano action available. From the portable and compact actions designed for the FP series, to the flagship actions designed for the LX Series, the one constant, is the intimate and immediate connection between player and instrument.

Headphones and iPads - enhancing the experience.

The piano you’ll want to play every day

If you’re serious about mastering the piano, Roland series offers a range of digital extras that put you in control of your learning. Convenient onboard features for daily practice include metronome and recording function – plus songs that cover a variety of genres, helping you with everything from listening and ensemble work to entertainment and basic skill-building. Another key advantage is compatibility with smartphone apps – you’ll be amazed how fast your skills improve with Roland’s Piano Every Day app.

Roland’s Piano Every Day app.

Piano Every Day app

Playing piano makes you feel good – and Piano Every Day is a unique smartphone app that encourages you to play more often. Create your own library of scores or purchase the latest music from Sheet Music Direct. Try the ‘1-week master’ option to track and display your progress as you learn a new piece, complete with exercises if required. If you love playing piano, learn something new, and play more often with Piano Every Day.

Using Piano Every Day with Headphones

The Roland design philosophy

Roland’s desire was, and continues to be, to create a range of instruments that are beautiful and inviting to play. The overall aesthetic is one of elegance and purity, while the general design is loyal to classic piano styling – but if you take a closer look, there are subtle twists. Roland have invested time to create striking and timeless exteriors, while also offering a unique and recognizable silhouette – all achieved with well-balanced lines and a pure form with subtle rounding. The result is a series of instruments that has a strong presence in the room, without shouting.